BRAY WANDERERS 1-3 FINN HARPS (AET)

Finn Harps extinguished Bray Wanderers’ last ray of hope as the First Division side came from behind to clinch an extra time victory.

Gary Cronin’s Seagulls deservedly lead in the first half through Ger Pender’s strike but a clever finish from Sam Todd midway through the second period forced extra time. Mikey Place and Jacob Borg scored in either period of extra time to book the Donegal side’s place in the next round.

As for the Wanderers, their focus now returns to their improbable task of saving their Premier Division status. Bray struck first blood on 15 minutes. A Bray free wasn’t fully cleared and O’Conor cleverly slid Pender in.

The striker let the ball roll across him before confidently sweeping home. The second half was a rather dull affair. Fourty five minutes of it would have been more than enough but then Sam Todd popped up to level it in the 64th minute and force extra time.

Ciaran Coll’s throw-in from the left was nodded on and Todd lifted a long leg to execute an overhead hook that trickled into the bottom corner of Moran’s net. It was seven minutes into extra time when Harps landed the winner.

Paul O’Conor’s attempted clearance travelled more vertically than horizontally and Sam Todd nodded it back into the danger-zone where Mikey Place was able to take a touch and turn before finishing from six yards.

Gary Cronin switched to three at the back for the second period but the final nail was put in Bray’s coffin when Jacob Borg spanked home a low shot from the edge of the area. Salt was rubbed in the wounds for the Co. Wicklow side when Darragh Gibbons picked up a second booking in the dying seconds.